Three things that will help Tottenham defeat Manchester United

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - APRIL 04: Allan Saint-Maximin of Newcastle United and Davinson Sanchez of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James Park on April 4, 2021 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images) /

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3. Start on the front foot

Forgetting about the misery of the Newcastle disappointment by starting the match on the front foot is a crucial first step in achieving victory against our bitter northern rivals. While Spurs recovered last week to take the lead into the second half on Tyneside, they conceded the first goal, which historically leads to unsavoury results.

When conceding first, Tottenham have lost nine of12 contests this season. Spurs haven’t won after conceding the first goal since beating Manchester United 6-1 back in October. Their other win after going down a goal occurred in the 5-2 thrashing of Southampton in Match Week 2, on Sept. 20.

Jose Mourinho’s side have, for the most part, started well this season, scoring the first goal in 17 matches. It’s imperative for the Lilywhites to show positive intent from the off, as a result mirroring their thrashing of United earlier in the season after going down a goal is unlikely.

Even if Spurs plan on employing their counterattack-first style, a probable scenario, it’s crucial for the home side to open the scoring before falling back into a containment style of defence. Of course we all hope Spurs don’t sit back after scoring, but history tells us that’s as unlikely as Tottenham overcoming a goal deficit to take all three points.

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